Irish Rail Jobs Discussion

arccosh · 06-01-2019 2:44pm

I think people fail to realise how small Ireland is on many levels in respect to industry size and the amount of people applying for jobs...

unfortunately times have changed, yes its horrible the catch 22 of applying for an entry level job, but requiring 5-10years experience in the process..

But unfortunately, that's how things are in a small level industry where they have the pick of the bunch from applicants... it's the same in the technology and pharma sectors also...

majority of external applicants will either have:
-Luas experience
-Temp work for CIE
-Bus Driving experience
-PDF/Garada experience
-International railway experience

That pool alone, without the added applicants with other sector experience will make this an interesting, but cut throat competition.

That's how it is these days, it's rare (especially in Ireland) you'll get a company that will hold you're hand from start to finish... they want someone to hit the ground running, or be almost in the position to without having to do much work.

Del.Monte · 06-01-2019 3:18pm

L1011 wrote: »

Why? Add a huge cost to satisfy someone's desire for the old days?

What does this even mean?

Del.Monte · 06-01-2019 3:19pm

whisky_galore wrote: »

Yeah, bring back the 'engine cleaners' and a small army of porters to handle passengers' steamer trunks.:D

Don't give up the day job.

dar100 · 06-01-2019 3:58pm

arccosh wrote: »

I think people fail to realise how small Ireland is on many levels in respect to industry size and the amount of people applying for jobs...

unfortunately times have changed, yes its horrible the catch 22 of applying for an entry level job, but requiring 5-10years experience in the process..

But unfortunately, that's how things are in a small level industry where they have the pick of the bunch from applicants... it's the same in the technology and pharma sectors also...

majority of external applicants will either have:
-Luas experience
-Temp work for CIE
-Bus Driving experience
-PDF/Garada experience
-International railway experience

That pool alone, without the added applicants with other sector experience will make this an interesting, but cut throat competition.

That's how it is these days, it's rare (especially in Ireland) you'll get a company that will hold you're hand from start to finish... they want someone to hit the ground running, or be almost in the position to without having to do much work.

As the senior management are also getting on in age the unions will certainly wont new blood that can go from these positions to progress. Therefore, other skills and demograohics will be needed outside of the basic driving skills.

There is a much bigger picture at play here outside of just hiring train drivers. I was literally in connelly last night and honest to god ive never seen such a wore out and demottivated old looking work force.

The wall was holding up one of the supervisors:)

GaGa21 · 06-01-2019 4:14pm

oleras wrote:

I know general welbeing, BMI etc are also included but just on the cardiac stuff. Would a previous cardiac episode rule one out ?

Wondering if any issues with hearing would be an issue?
Are hearing tests part of the medical?

arccosh · 06-01-2019 5:07pm

dar100 wrote: »

As the senior management are also getting on in age the unions will certainly wont new blood that can go from these positions to progress. Therefore, other skills and demograohics will be needed outside of the basic driving skills.

There is a much bigger picture at play here outside of just hiring train drivers. I was literally in connelly last night and honest to god ive never seen such a wore out and demottivated old looking work force.

The wall was holding up one of the supervisors:)

I'm sure there is, as with any recruitment drive of this amount.

But still, someone who has been in a safety related role for a number of years, may already have that management experience.

For example, PDF Sergant rank basic pay would be less than starting pay for this.
This is someone who has managerial experience, lots of safety training, situational awarenes etc..

It will be interesting how many go past the video day.

dar100 · 06-01-2019 5:32pm

arccosh wrote: »

I'm sure there is, as with any recruitment drive of this amount.

But still, someone who has been in a safety related role for a number of years, may already have that management experience.

For example, PDF Sergant rank basic pay would be less than starting pay for this.
This is someone who has managerial experience, lots of safety training, situational awarenes etc..

It will be interesting how many go past the video day.

Yes, our points being that the other skills were garnered elsewhere.

Is there any links to the pay scales of different positiins in IE?

n!ghtmancometh · 06-01-2019 5:34pm

arccosh wrote: »

I'm sure there is, as with any recruitment drive of this amount.

But still, someone who has been in a safety related role for a number of years, may already have that management experience.

For example, PDF Sergant rank basic pay would be less than starting pay for this.
This is someone who has managerial experience, lots of safety training, situational awarenes etc..

It will be interesting how many go past the video day.

All depends if those folks can pass the tests though, they are a leveller of the playing field, same with most public jobs.

I took part in the executive officer recruitment campaign in the civil service (I'm a clerical officer in the civil service about 3 years at the moment) and did really well and made the 1st round of interviews. There's excellent people I work with who have been in my job for 5/10 years who have all the experience to be a very good executive officer, but they couldn't pass the entrance exams.

So those people you mentioned might well be more suited to being a train driver, but how suited are they at doing well in the required exams to get to the interview stage?

dar100 · 06-01-2019 5:54pm

n!ghtmancometh wrote: »

All depends if those folks can pass the tests though, they are a leveller of the playing field, same with most public jobs.

I took part in the executive officer recruitment campaign in the civil service (I'm a clerical officer in the civil service about 3 years at the moment) and did really well and made the 1st round of interviews. There's excellent people I work with who have been in my job for 5/10 years who have all the experience to be a very good executive officer, but they couldn't pass the entrance exams.

So those people you mentioned might well be more suited to being a train driver, but how suited are they at doing well in the required exams to get to the interview stage?

The assessments in both are fairly str8 forward tbf.

Del.Monte · 06-01-2019 5:58pm

dar100 wrote: »

As the senior management are also getting on in age the unions will certainly wont new blood that can go from these positions to progress. Therefore, other skills and demograohics will be needed outside of the basic driving skills.

There is a much bigger picture at play here outside of just hiring train drivers. I was literally in connelly last night and honest to god ive never seen such a wore out and demottivated old looking work force.

The wall was holding up one of the supervisors:)

You saw some staff in Connolly last night - even that must be something of a record! In my experience, the sight of IE employees anywhere except on the ticket barrier is increasingly rare. Out in the bleak commuter wilderness that are the suburban platforms, they are an endangered species. I noted a fairly stoned looking girl cross between Platforms 5 & 6 in the dark by way of the tracks on my most recent visit.

L1011 · 06-01-2019 6:26pm

Del.Monte wrote: »

What does this even mean?

Can you explain a justification for inventing new roles and hence cost just to satisfy your dated idea of how things should be?

If you want to make the rural lines completely unviable and closed immediately it'd be a good thing, but I think you want Rosslare to stay open

kingshankly · 06-01-2019 6:49pm

GaGa21 wrote: »

Wondering if any issues with hearing would be an issue?
Are hearing tests part of the medical?

Yes you go in to a booth and do a hearing test

Hilly Bill · 06-01-2019 6:53pm

kingshankly wrote: »

Yes you go in to a booth and do a hearing test

You go in and press the button like a mad man

TK Lemon · 06-01-2019 7:45pm

What is the typical shift pattern of a driver, how often would a night shift come up?

dar100 · 06-01-2019 8:01pm

kingshankly wrote: »

Yes you go in to a booth and do a hearing test

What?

TallGlass · 06-01-2019 8:08pm

TK Lemon wrote: »

What is the typical shift pattern of a driver, how often would a night shift come up?

Just at a guess I imagine it's something like the Garda/FF work, 4 days 4 evenings 4 nights etc... with 2/4 days off in between the shift set? Rotating with weekends off maybe one in 4 or something along them lines. With 12hr shifts or 8hr shifts.

TK Lemon · 06-01-2019 8:14pm

TallGlass wrote: »

Just at a guess I imagine it's something like the Garda/FF work, 4 days 4 evenings 4 nights etc... with 2/4 days off in between the shift set? Rotating with weekends off maybe one in 4 or something along them lines. With 12hr shifts or 8hr shifts.

What is the justification for night shifts? There's no night routes.

arccosh · 06-01-2019 8:17pm

train placement, freight... might not necessarily be "night" ...but out of hours ...finish 2 or 3, start 4 or 5 etc..

TallGlass · 06-01-2019 8:20pm

arccosh wrote: »

train placement, freight... might not necessarily be "night" ...but out of hours ...finish 2 or 3, start 4 or 5 etc..

Plus track work as in maintenance, someone has to drive the loco!

Again, could be a case where it's a 1 in 5 week event your selected for it.

To be honest, there is a bit of discussion here that I would be more thinking along the lines of cross that bridge when you come to it.

Little talk here about interview which is the big hurdle. The rest comes after.

IanVW · 06-01-2019 8:28pm

TallGlass wrote: »

Plus track work as in maintenance, someone has to drive the loco!

Again, could be a case where it's a 1 in 5 week event your selected for it.

To be honest, there is a bit of discussion here that I would be more thinking along the lines of cross that bridge when you come to it.

Little talk here about interview which is the big hurdle. The rest comes after.

And need to get over those online assessments:D

Plumbthedepths · 06-01-2019 8:39pm

Did the 3 online tests. First 2 not bad the last was just a wall of letters. Bit of a nightmare tbh, didn't get to finish any of the 3 but came close.

TK Lemon · 06-01-2019 8:50pm

Does anyone see a scope for 24/7 rail routes operating in future?

dar100 · 06-01-2019 9:00pm

Plumbthedepths wrote: »

Did the 3 online tests. First 2 not bad the last was just a wall of letters. Bit of a nightmare tbh, didn't get to finish any of the 3 but came close.

Dont think anyone will finish them, its more about doing them.correctly, with some speed

IanVW · 06-01-2019 9:04pm

dar100 wrote: »

Dont think anyone will finish them, its more about doing them.correctly, with some speed

Wonder how long before results are emailed for these

Del.Monte · 06-01-2019 9:10pm

TK Lemon wrote: »

Does anyone see a scope for 24/7 rail routes operating in future?

No. Where's the population to justify the need for such a service.

Plumbthedepths · 06-01-2019 9:12pm

IanVW wrote:

Wonder how long before results are emailed for these

The email I received to do the online tests mentioned a timeframe of a couple of weeks before OPC responds after the test is submitted.

L1011 · 06-01-2019 9:17pm

Del.Monte wrote: »

No. Where's the population to justify the need for such a service.

Entire DART network and Maynooth commuter

Sono · 06-01-2019 9:20pm

Anyone know the salary while you’re training? I know it’s a lengthy training program and just want to be sure I want to go further with application as I’m not sure I could live on a lower wage for such a long time if I was successful. Thanks folks

dar100 · 06-01-2019 9:23pm

Sono wrote: »

Anyone know the salary while you’re training? I know it’s a lengthy training program and just want to be sure I want to go further with application as I’m not sure I could live on a lower wage for such a long time if I was successful. Thanks folks

Circa 41 grand. Was looking at it earlier online

dar100 · 06-01-2019 9:24pm

Plumbthedepths wrote: »

The email I received to do the online tests mentioned a timeframe of a couple of weeks before OPC responds after the test is submitted.

If its like Pass they will respond to everyone at same time

Sono · 06-01-2019 9:25pm

dar100 wrote: »

Circa 41 grand. Was looking at it earlier online

Thanks for that, training 8 months or so is that right?

dar100 · 06-01-2019 9:35pm

I have 39 weeks in my head fir some reason?

Del.Monte · 06-01-2019 9:45pm

L1011 wrote: »

Entire DART network and Maynooth commuter

Just how much money do you want CIE to lose? I suppose they can save something by closing down all the inter-city routes completely.

kingshankly · 06-01-2019 9:51pm

TallGlass wrote: »

Just at a guess I imagine it's something like the Garda/FF work, 4 days 4 evenings 4 nights etc... with 2/4 days off in between the shift set? Rotating with weekends off maybe one in 4 or something along them lines. With 12hr shifts or 8hr shifts.

nothing like that whatsoever

kingshankly · 06-01-2019 9:54pm

Sono wrote: »

Thanks for that, training 8 months or so is that right?

Training will be 14/15 months

L1011 · 06-01-2019 9:59pm

Del.Monte wrote: »

Just how much money do you want CIE to lose? I suppose they can save something by closing down all the inter-city routes completely.

They would have to be PSO supported, like everywhere else with them

You want them to hire platform staff to satisfy some Victorian ideal of a railway, which wouldn't be PSO supported

Sono · 06-01-2019 10:03pm

kingshankly wrote: »

Training will be 14/15 months

Christ! that’s some training.

Jamie2k9 · 06-01-2019 10:05pm

Sono wrote: »

Christ! that’s some training.

Believe around half of that is actually driving so not that bad.

dar100 · 06-01-2019 10:22pm

2 of the questions on one of the tests havent got correct answers as an option. Minor mistakes, but major f up for a large competition like this. however, ive had to answer both wrong in the hope that they realise this and right it

Sono · 06-01-2019 10:41pm

The 2nd round tests have to be completed on a laptop or PC I’m guessing?

Plumbthedepths · 06-01-2019 10:48pm

Sono wrote:

The 2nd round tests have to be completed on a laptop or PC Iâ€™m guessing?

Yeah and better if you have a mouse.

PirateShampoo · 06-01-2019 10:57pm

dar100 wrote: »

2 of the questions on one of the tests havent got correct answers as an option. Minor mistakes, but major f up for a large competition like this. however, ive had to answer both wrong in the hope that they realise this and right it

Which questions?

TallGlass · 06-01-2019 11:09pm

kingshankly wrote: »

nothing like that whatsoever

Care to explain the shifts ?

kingshankly · 06-01-2019 11:18pm

TallGlass wrote: »

Care to explain the shifts ?

It really every depot is different some gave 1/2 Saturdays 1/3 sundays some have 1/3 Saturdays &1/6 sundays some have no weekend work it’s a 39 hour week over the course of the roster could do 45 one week 33 the next
Some depot might have 1 night job on the whole roster some have no nights

dar100 · 07-01-2019 12:01am

PirateShampoo wrote: »

Which questions?

Think 30 and 32 on rules test

nelle1 · 07-01-2019 12:36am

How many applications would you think applied

dar100 · 07-01-2019 10:29am

nelle1 wrote: »

How many applications would you think applied

I would venture a guess in the 10 's of thousands

Coralcoras · 07-01-2019 11:51am

Plumbthedepths wrote: »

Yeah and better if you have a mouse.

Even with the mouse I could only get halfway down that wall of letters. I think this counts me out.

Hilly Bill · 07-01-2019 12:30pm

Coralcoras wrote: »

Even with the mouse I could only get halfway down that wall of letters. I think this counts me out.

It doesn't, its about accuracy rather than quantity.

Coralcoras · 07-01-2019 1:32pm

Hilly Bill wrote: »

It doesn't, its about accuracy rather than quantity.

Thanks for the dose of positivity!

Irish Rail Jobs Discussion

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